Rural-free-delivery cabinet.



W. A. TOMISON. RURAL FREE DELIVERY CABINET. APPLICATION FILED 0cT.2s,.190s.

Patented Jan. 26, 1909.

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W. A. TOMISON.' RURAL FREE DELIVERY CABINET. APPLICATION FILED 0012a, 1908.

91 0,880. Patented Jan. 26, 1909.

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WILLIS ALBERT TOMISON, OF QUITMAN, TEXAS.

RURAL-FREE-DELIVERY CABINET.

Application filed October 23, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, l/ViLLrs A. ToMIsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Quitman, in the county of Wood and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rural-Free-Delivery Cabinets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mail-handling apparatus, and more particularly to a movable cabinet adapted for the use of carriers on rural-free-delivery routes, and has for an object to provide a cabinet which may be mounted revolubly in a vehicle, and adapted to be easily removed therefrom when desired.

Another object is to provide a novel and desirable support for the cabinet having a revoluble top and having adjustable attaching portions adapted for engagement with vehicles of different widths.

Another object is to provide a suitable stand adapted to support the cabinet upon an ordinary floor for use during the assorting of the mail.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and it will be understood that changes in the specific structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a side view of the device, mounted within a wagon, Fig. 2 is a similar view of the device upon the assorting stand, Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the device, Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view through the stationary base for use in a vehicle, Fig. 5 is a top view of'the revoluble portion of the support stand, Fig. 6 is a side view of the cabinet in open position. Referring to the drawings, there is shown a portion of vehicle 10 including side sills 11, upon which there are secured laterally adjustable standards 12 having inwardly eX- tending horizontal portions 13 engaged slidably in overlapped relation through passages 14 formed in a stationary head 15. A revoluble head 16 is mounted upon the head 15 by means of a bolt 17, and carries upon its upper side an enlarged socket portion 18 having a cabinet 19 engaged detachably therein.

It will be seen that the standards 12 are adjustable in the head 15 to engage the sills to vehicles of various widths, by means of Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Jan. 26, 1909.

Serial No. 459,262.

their slidable engagement in the passages 14. Engaged through the side of the head 15 and adapted to impinge against the portions 13 within the passages 14, there are binding screws 20. The socket portion 18 is formed of sheet material, having a plurality ofspaced standards 21 adapted to coengage on the sides of the corners of a cabinet disposed therein.

The cabinet 19 comprises a quadrangular receptacle having a plurality of compartments therein formed by partitions 22. The sides of the cabinet are suitably pivoted and adapted to be swung open to expose the various compartments for the assortment or removal of mail therefrom. The cabinet is provided with uprights 23 at each corner which carry cross pieces 24 between their upper ends, to the lower edges of which the doors 25 are pivoted. The doors are alternately provided with laterally extending pin members 26, and hooks 27. It will be seen that when the cabinet is closed the pin of one door will project outwardly and be adapted to engage with the hooks of the adjacent door. It will also be seen that the doors may all be held upwardly in an open position by means of the pins and bolts as shown in Fig. 6.

A large receptacle adapted for holding newspapers and large packages is formed in the top of the cabinet, by means of a floor, and a hinged top 28 is provided to close this receptacle.

in Fig. 2 there is shown a stand 30 comprising an upright 31 having radial feet 32 and carrying arevoluble head 16, similar to the one 16, and provided with corner pieces 34, adapted to receive the cabinet 19 detachably therein. It will be seen that the cabinet is interchangeable with the heads 16 and 33, so that the stand 30 may be utilized in a post-office to hold the cabinet while mail is assorted therein. The cabinet may then be closed and carried to a properly equipped vehicle and disposed within the member 18 for use in the delivery of mail. Secured upon the uprights 23, there are handles 29 of suitable shape adapted to be grasped by the carrier or other person for rotation of the cabinet to bring the different sides of the cabinet into position for the assortment or removal of mail therefrom.

It will be understood that any desirable form of closure may be provided for the compartments, within the scope of the claims.

It will be understood that the cabinet may be made of any shape desired, and that the individual closures may be provided for the separate compartments instead of the pivoted sides, as illustrated, as the application to which the device is adaptable would be interfered with if the applicant were restricted to the specific construction shown and described herein.

What is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a revoluble support for mail-distributing cabinets comprising a stationary head having horizontal parallel passages therethrough, supporting members detachably engaged therewitlnsaid members comprising u right portions adapted for engagement wit opposite sides of a vehicle, integral horizontal portions extending therefrom and disposed slidably in said horizontal passages, means for securing said horizontal portions in the passages, and a revoluble head carried by the stationary head and adapted for detachable engagement with a superstructure.

2. A revoluble support for detachable superstructures, comprising a stationary head having horizontal parallel passages therethrough, a plurality of support members ineluding u rights having horizontal portions disposed s idably in said passages and adapted for relative adjustment and adapted to be secured to vehicles of Various widths, and a revoluble head carried by the stationary head upon a common side of the receptacle, a closure for the large. compartment, and handles.

attached to said uprights for manipulation of the receptacle.

4. A device ofvthe class described including a base portion adapted for adjustment to engage, vehicle bodies of various widths, a head carried thereby adapted for detachable engagement with a superstructure, arsuperstructure detachably engaged therein and comprising a plurality of partitions forming compartments opening, outwardly, closures.

for said compartments, said superstructure having a, single large compartment in the top thereof, and a closure therefor.

In testimony whereof I afiiX mysignature, in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIS ALBERT TOMISON. Witnesses:

W. M. CRADDocK, W. M. WoRTnING'roN. 

